Kouřim
Kouřim (Czech pronunciation: [ˈkour̝ɪm]; German: Gurim (1391), Kurim (1088), Curim (1167), Kaurzim, Kaurzin, Kaurim) is a town in Kolín District in the Central Bohemian Region of the Czech Republic. It has about 1,900 inhabitants. It is located 45 km (28 mi) east of Prague. The town centre is well preserved and is protected by law as an urban monument zone.
Kouřim | |
|---|---|
 Main square | |
 Coat of arms | |
  Kouřim Location in the Czech Republic | |
| Coordinates: 50°0′11″N 14°58′38″E | |
| Country |  Czech Republic |
| Region | Central Bohemian |
| District | Kolín |
| First mentioned | 1261 |
| Government | |
| • Mayor | Zuzana Čiháková |
| Area | |
| • Total | 14.40 km2 (5.56 sq mi) |
| Elevation | 268 m (879 ft) |
| Population (2021-01-01)[1] | |
| • Total | 1,908 |
| • Density | 130/km2 (340/sq mi) |
| Time zone | UTC+1 (CET) |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC+2 (CEST) |
| Postal code | 281 61 |
| Website | www |
Administrative parts
The village of Molitorov is an administrative part of Kouřim.
History
The first written mention of Kouřim is from 1261 in a deed of Ottokar II of Bohemia. The royal town of Kouřim was probably founded by Wenceslaus I between 1223 and 1250. At the turn of the 15th and 16th centuries, the town experienced an unprecedented prosperity, and at the end of the 16th century there were over 2,000 inhabitants (which is more than today).[2]
A great disaster for the town was the Thirty Years' War, which ended Kouřim's status as one of the most important towns in the Czech Kingdom. The population declined by 75% and it lost the town privileges until 1740, when it was renewed by Emperor Charles VI.[2]
In 1881, the railway to Pečky was built. At the end of the 19th century, Kouřim was with about 3,000 inhabitants at its peak. In the 20th century, especially at the end of the 1960s, the town stagnated and has become a periphery. It completely lost its cultural identity, originally determined by an extremely strong historical tradition. Thanks to this, however, the town has preserved its "genius loci", which has become an advantage for tourism and filmmaking.[2]
Sights
- Remains of a gord from the 9th–10th century on a hill east of town, today called Stará Kouřim ("Old Kouřim"), of the Slavník dynasty[3]
- Church of Saint Stephen from the 13th century, a prominent example of early Gothic architecture
- Town walls from the 13th–16th century (1,250 m in circumference) with the Gothic Prague Gate
- Open-air museum of folk architecture
In popular culture
Kouřim is a popular place for Czech filmmakers. The films shot here include Patrimony, Hastrman or Nesmrtelná teta.[4]
Notable people
- František Vejdovský (1849–1939), zoologist
- Evžen Linhart (1898–1949), architect and designer
References
- "Population of Municipalities – 1 January 2021". Czech Statistical Office. 2021-04-30.
- "Kouřim" (in Czech). Cesty a památky. Retrieved 2021-06-29.
- Berend, Nora; Urbańczyk, Przemysław; Wiszewski, Przemysław (2013). Central Europe in the High Middle Ages: Bohemia, Hungary and Poland, c.900–c.1300. Cambridge University Press. p. 83. ISBN 978-1-107-65139-5.
- "Město a film" (in Czech). Město Kouřim. Retrieved 2021-06-29.
